Star Crossed
by NiteOwl94
Summary: A SW/HP AU taking place over the events of A New Hope, but with Hermione, Harry and Ron mysteriously thrown into the mix!
1. Flight of Fancy

Layers of sand and dust seemed permanently settled onto Luke. It didn't help that Tatooine was a planet with two suns; Luke often felt like a dehydrated ration pack. The thought conjured images of Aunt Beru's less successful experiments in the kitchen. It almost made him smile. However it wasn't long before his mind was elsewhere again; someplace far, far away…

His gaze seemed to pierce the ceiling of his claustrophobic room, burning a path straight to explosive battlefields among the stars, seemingly just out of reach. His imagination roared like the engine of a starship, gliding over vistas of fallen allies and enemies alike. Burning bolts of red and green traded fiery damage between the waves of fighters zipping through the battle. His flight of fancy was interrupted by a sharp set of beeps.

Luke's recent acquisitions were proving to be a nuisance. _These blasted droids_ , he thought to himself, _who needs a shiny protocol clanker and his trashcan sidekick out here anyhow?_ He resignedly re-applied a cleaning rag to the stout droid, it beeped again, contently this time.

"Yeah, yeah… you're welcome." He managed with a sigh. Unlike the R2 unit, the protocol droid seemed pleased enough to at least have an owner, and not be part of a scrap heap. Luke kept his complaints under his breath as much as possible. For the most part he loved droids; he just didn't love to be stuck on this rock of a planet, working with bots tasked for moisture farming in all its glorious tedium.

Feeling more or less satisfied with his halfhearted cleanup of the R2 unit, Luke aimed to toss the rag into a nearby bucket. Before it even left his hand, the air in the middle of the room seemed to fold in on itself in a furious tangle of… _something_. The ferocious displacement was like a sudden dust storm in the room, knocking the fussy R2 unit clear.

"Goodness gracious me!" The golden C-3po exclaimed. Out of the chaos, a body came flying through, impacting against the nearest wall. The vortex-like disturbance was gone as soon as the person arrived. Confused and speechless, Luke managed his way to his feet; unsure what to do. A stunned silence from man and droid alike hung in the air as all eyes were trained on the seemingly unconscious person, crumpled up on the floor.

With a violent start, the person sharply inhaled and scrambled to their feet, in a seamless blur of wild hair and tattered clothing. Before Luke could even register the fact that he was now staring at a wide eyed girl, no older than him, she had thrust… a _stick_ at him?

"Expelliarmus!" she yelled without hesitation, somehow sending the rag flying clear of Luke's hand. He spun in shock to see the rag sail through the air as the girl shoved past him, recklessly sprinting for the exit.

"Hey! Wait!" Luke yells after her. Immediately the girl found her way clear of the building, faced with a barren and unfamiliar desert. She paused for a second to take in her surroundings, but quickly gathered that she needed direction, a lay of the land… _something_. Before Luke could even catch up with her, she sprinted off again, bounding further out from the odd structure. Luke's voice didn't even register with her as she frantically scanned the horizon for a hint of anything familiar at all.

Frustrated but not abandoning logic, she hurriedly collected her wits and snapped her gaze to the skies, searching for at _least_ the sun, which could give her a starting point, if nothing else. Her hand rose to her brow, shielding her eyes from the harsh Tatooine daylight, as she spun on her heel to see its source. Luke watched curiously as she froze, like a statue. The stillest he had seen her since she seemed to pop out of a… _what? What exactly- no, where exactly did she come from?_ He thought to himself.

Her blank expression betrayed a profound and terrifying confusion as her hand slowly fell from her brow. After a moment that seemed an eternity to her puzzled onlooker, she finally averted her eyes from the blinding suns in the sky. Luke slowly approached her, but found her pointed stick suddenly aimed at him again, now jabbing his chin upwards. She abruptly walked him back a few steps, angrily scowling in desperation.

Luke barely realized he was holding his hands up in non-threatening gesture as he stared into her eyes, affixed in a face that had all-too-recently seen the kind of battles he only dreamed of.

"Who are you?" He asked in a hushed tone. Her confusion raged behind a slowly fading scowl. She pressed the tip of her weapon a bit harder; Luke's curiosity left him oblivious to the potential danger.

"Why…" she managed, breathlessly, "-are there TWO suns in the sky?"

"You- well, there's always been two suns around Tatooine." Luke replied with a dumb look fastened on his face. The girl staggered backwards a step, muttering under her breath.

"Tat- Tatooine? What?" She seemed certain only that Luke was not a threat to her, but she had never been so lost in her life. _Merlin's beard_ , she thought, _where the hell am I?_

"You… are clearly not from here, and I want to help you. What's your name?" He asked again, in the most passive tone he could muster. She looked at him, catching her breath. Luke bore out the silence patiently, hoping he could at least know who she was; a member of the Rebellion perhaps? Her look of hopeless confusion slowly faded, replaced by a fiery gaze of steeled resolve.

"My name is Hermione Granger, and I _am_ going to need your help."


	2. Going Solo

The windblown Harry Potter managed his way out of the alleyway, wand gripped cautiously in hand. To any passersby it probably looked like the young man just got mugged. Harry knew he wasn't remotely close to Hogwarts now; there were _two_ suns in the sky. He shuffled along, finding himself absorbed into the staggered flow of pedestrians making their way through this bizarre… _town? Camp?_

"What is this place?" Harry asked of no one in particular. At the sharp stab of pain, he realized he was holding his free arm across his ribs. Something felt broken in there. He wasn't thrilled at the prospect of needing medical attention in such a completely foreign place. Oh how he wished he could just go to Madam Pomfrey and be done with this. Now aware of his injury, his own hurried, ragged breathing had him worried that much more.

There were no friendly faces in sight, most… 'people' here looked like something out of the Monster Book of Monsters. Harry's muggle upbringing sent the word "aliens" racing into his mind, causing a lurching halt in his stomach. _Two suns in the sky… and people who look like this?_ Harry cut himself off there. Alien or not, he needed help. His eyes scanned doorways and shop signs for anything that looked like a hospital.

He tried not to think about what treatment in an alien hospital could be like. _Do they know anything about human anatomy?_ He shuddered at the thought of taking medicine made for a completely different species. He must've made a good two passes through what seemed to be the main street of the town. No hospital, no clinic or healer. Or, at the very least, none that he recognized.

Defeated, he decided to retreat the well-trafficked street, less he get knocked aside by one of the angrier looking pedestrians. He spotted a section of wall belonging to the nearest building. He was going to lean against it, maybe even slump down and sit on the dirt ground. The thought of just resting for a moment was overwhelmingly appealing to him. As he approached the building, something from its neighboring structure grabbed his attention. He winced as he turned to pay attention.

 _Music?_ He thought to himself. _Is that… lounge music?_ The bouncy tune seemed to emanate from the open doors. People shuffled in and out, not unlike patrons from a well-frequented pub. Harry's mind grabbed onto the abstract familiarity, hoping for a good drink if nothing else. _Surely, if there was any constant in the universe_ , he thought, _people like getting sloshed_. Despite the pain, he wheezed a sharp chuckle at the mental image of mankind inviting an alien to Earth, and promptly into the pub for a drink.

Harry found himself optimistically shuffling into the establishment. A rather permanent layer of smoke hung in the air, which, combined with the lively music and the clamor of conversation assured Harry that this was indeed a pub. Or, at least, the next best thing here; _wherever here actually is_. He stayed to the back of the main room, getting a feel of the place first. He scanned the sea of drunken or nearly-drunken patrons, recognizing not a single species from the lot of them. He also realized that none of them seemed to be much bothered with him either.

Logically, this meant they were used to such a wide variety of species that Harry didn't have to worry about sticking out or drawing attention to himself. Mustering all the confidence he could from that thought, he shuffled towards the bar. Harry didn't make it more than a few feet before someone or some _thing_ collided with him from behind, nearly knocking him over, which sent white hot pain surging through his torso. He doubled over, struggling to keep his balance.

"Beeogola ! doompasha lo!" Harry heard the angry words barked in his ear. A pair of unfamiliar hands grabbed their way to his shirt collar, and yanked him around. Harry opened his eyes to find himself face-to-face with a green skinned lizard-like person; glassy black bulbs for eyes, and a trunk-like snout for a mouth, still barking words at him.

"Jee doo kidded sooj less…" the alien's words were accompanied by a subtle movement. One of its hands had left Harry's collar, and unholstered a firearm of some kind which was now pointed at his stomach. Startled, Harry angled his wand at the alien and quickly shouted.

"Flipendo!" A burst of energy from the want sent the angry alien tumbling backwards, crashing against an empty table. Shocked, Harry froze. He had just attacked an _alien_! He wasn't the only one who noticed either; a hush had fallen over the bar and almost every patron was now paying attention to the skirmish. Harry's adversary did not take kindly to being knocked around by a 'runt'.

"Uba ooout wamma oearlee…" It now spoke in a slow and measured tone, although clearly enraged. Harry took a defensive step back, ready to finish what he started despite being scared out of his wits. _Death Eaters were one thing… but a bloody alien?_ The pissed-off adversary slowly rose from the floor, weapon still in hand, Harry found himself staring down what was very clearly the barrel of an alien pistol.

"I don't want any trouble." Harry gestured for calm, but it had little effect.

"Nee choo ateema!" the alien scowled. _PCHOWWWW!_ The powerful sound zapped through the air, making Harry wince, eyes shut tight, sure he was about to disintegrate into a pile of bloody bits. A few seconds passed and Harry peeked through his dust stained glasses. Much to his surprise, his would be attacker was actually the victim instead; a sizzling hole now agape in its chest. _Beastly_ , Harry thought as he let out a huff of relief.

"Greedo never did know when he was outgunned." A calm voice with a distinctly cocksure tone spoke from behind Harry. The young wizard spun around, wand at the ready. 'Greedo' was shot, and here was the responsible party. Was he a friend or foe? Harry's mind raced, not even processing the fact he actually understood that sentence.

"Hey! Watch where you point that… _twig_ , kid!" The shooter holstered his own firearm and took a step forward, abruptly shoving Harry's hand aside. Startled by the boldness Harry swallowed hard, suddenly realizing he could completely understand this man. _A man! A human man!_ Harry fought back the urge to hug him out of sheer recognition. Harry's rescuer glowered down at him incredulously.

"I just saved your skin! A little gratitude couldn't hurt." The now smug man flashed a halfhearted smirk. Dumbstruck Harry just nodded appreciatively. Words, unfortunately, escaped him altogether. The man flipped a coin to the bartender, and almost immediately the whole of the establishment settled back into their own conversations, the music flared back up, and everyone seemed to accept that the show was indeed over.

The man put an arm around Harry, escorting him to a nearby alcove where the pair sat down across from each other at a decidedly dirty table.

"Listen, kid, that stunted slime was a bounty hunter. And, the going theory is that he was here for _my_ neck. So I appreciate your little interference. It's possible you saved my skin." The man leaned back, seemingly comfortable, something Harry couldn't manage with the pain still throbbing in his midsection.

"I guess that makes us even. Thank you." He managed to reply, pained. The man quickly noticed Harry's injured manner.

"You don't look so hot fella, Greedo didn't get a shot off at you, did he?" The man asked with something approaching genuine concern. Harry shook his head no.

"I don't know where I am, but I was hurt in a… fight, before I got here." The situation sounded all too familiar to the man. He leaned forward as if he was about to cut a deal with Harry across the grimy table.

"I've been there myself, kid. Look-" The man stopped himself as he noticed a few new arrivals in the pub: a white-clad duo, carrying rifle-like weapons and wearing a uniform armor that covered every inch of their body. They spoke sharply to patrons who instinctively gave them a wide berth as they proceeded further into the establishment, even taking passing note of the newly dead Greedo. They confidently strode through the place, confidently aware of the almost palpable fear their very presence seemed to inspire.

Harry studied his rescuer's face as the man watched the armored pair approach them. Harry felt that the man was now frustrated, and immediately tense- but not afraid. Then, as if well-rehearsed, a practiced calm fell over the man. His intense observation became a casual interest as he leaned back again. The soldier like duo walked past their table, seeming to glare at the man from behind their expressionless helmets. He nonchalantly nodded at them, which found no reply or consideration.

The pair then looked at Harry who nodded with a limited politeness. He understood the kind of apprehension he felt from the man. Both Harry and his rescuer stayed quiet until the white-clad pair were well out of earshot.

"Who are they?" Harry asked almost frantically.

"Stormtroopers." He replied, ready to bolt from the table, too tense to express more incredulousness at Harry's ignorance.

"Who?" Harry insisted, desperation creeping into his voice. The man's gaze met Harry's. The young wizard's intensity divulged a familiarity with war and sacrifice that the man knew all too well.

"Trouble." The man succinctly explained, almost irritated.

"I need your help." Harry insisted. The man seemed to ignore the plea, looking past him, making sure the stormtroopers were gone.

"No you don't kid. You need a dash of Symoxin and a good night's sleep. See ya around." The man abruptly flashed an insincere grin and left the table, making his way to the front exit. Harry hobbled after him, unwilling to abandon the other only English speaker he had encountered.

"Wait!" He called after the hurried man. "My friends could be dead, we were…" he winced again. The pain was nearing unbearable. The man stopped and looked back.

"I mean it kid, I don't have time for charity, what with the Empire snooping around. Some of us have a living to make." His pointed words poorly hid a thin veneer of sympathy.

"I have money! I can pay…" Harry reasoned with the man through gritted teeth. Like alcohol, he reasoned, money was obviously a universal constant. The man shifted his weight, sizing Harry up for a moment before ushering him away from the pub's entrance.

"How much?" The man pressed.

"Believe me when I say that it's well more than you could ever earn in a lifetime of doing whatever it is you do- a fortune."

"Whatever it is I do?" He chuckled derisively. Nevertheless, he looked at Harry with a glint in his eye. _He's young, scrappy… and, even if he's lying about the money, I can use scrappy_. The man reasoned to himself. A moment of contemplation passed between the two before the man raised an insistent finger to Harry.

"You better not be lying, kid… I've got a Wookiee, and they've been known to _eat_ liars." Harry shook his head, reassuring the man who nodded in turn. Harry had no idea what a ' _wooky'_ was, but this guy had saved him once, and Harry really wasn't lying about the money he thought, as he recalled the small fortune in his Gringotts vault.

"Come on, we gotta get to the Falcon." The man hurried Harry away, ducking into another alley, disappearing behind the pub.

 _At least they've got birds here_ , Harry thought.


	3. Binary Sunset

"Her… harmony?" Luke attempted as he kept pace with the anxious young witch, walking back to his abode. " _Her-my-oh-nee_." She impatiently corrected him. They reached the multi-domed structure, and Luke gestured for her to enter. She stopped and gave him a hard stare.

"I don't know you. I don't know where I am-"

"Tatooine. It's just-"

"I don't know where 'Tattooing' is, but I was fighting for my life before I got here. My _friends_ were fighting for their lives. I need to find them, and I need to get back. So much depends on it." Without waiting for a reply, she ducked into the dwelling, leaving Luke to process her words. He followed her inside in short order.

"Are you… part of the rebellion against the Empire?" He asked, trying to sound informed.

"What?" She stammered, as all her questions were in a mental traffic jam.

"Hey don't worry; I'm no friend to the Empire. The worst you have to worry about around here are the Hutts." His curiosity still raged, stoked by the promise of war stories and adventure. He also found himself somewhat attracted to 'Her-my-oh-nee'. _Hermione_ , Luke thought. He'd never heard that name before. Finally, she took a deep breath, rubbed her face and sat down in his room, prompting him to do the same.

"You don't exactly sound like you're from Hertfordshire." She obviously pointed out, for her own clarity more than anything. Luke listened patiently.

"I… don't think this is all an illusion. It's too alien. Too foreign. You wouldn't want the victim to know they're _in_ an illusion. That's the key to it." She pursed her lips in thought as a fiercely analytical look fastened on her face. It was a look her friends were all too familiar with. She broke her circumstances down logically…

"I'm also clearly not in Scotland or Great Britain anymore…" None of these places sounded even remotely familiar to Luke.

"Great Britain, what system is that in?" His question was met with a blank look, Hermione barely registered that he was in the room as her mind still processed all the details and facts she could muster. Luke wasn't bothered by the lack of a reply, and figured he'd know more when she figured out as much as she could. _What's the last thing I remember?_ The question was emblazoned across her mind's eye, an all-important prompt and key to this whole mess. Everything was a fog, her recent memories were sketchy at best.

 _Where am I? What place has two suns? Was it a trick of the light? No, the guy was plain about that… this place has always had two suns. So that means… I'm not on Earth? Oh, blast!_ Her mind would pose and re-pose the same questions over and over. The lack of any satisfactory answers left Hermione distressed and longing to be with her friends again.

* * *

Luke had slipped away while Hermione was deep in thought and just returned to the room.

"Hey, listen, I figured you might be hungry so-"

He looked up from the food sack in his hands and his heart skipped a beat. She was gone. It was as if the most important thing that had ever happened to him had just walked out of his life. He frantically scanned the room.

"Sir…" C-3po interrupted. Luke looked at the golden droid, and quickly followed its directional gesture, pointing outside. Luke recklessly bolted out of the room. R2-D2 cynically beeped after the hasty farmhand. _KRRRT KRRR_. 3po chided him with a clunk on the head.

"You take that back, you haphazard collection of bolts! Master Luke does not have his head stuck in the clouds, he's simply concerned for her well-being! As should you be!" The smaller droid managed a sarcastic beep-whistle as he trailed away. Unsure of what to do, now alone, 3po began to aimlessly clean the room.

Luke let out a sigh of relief as he saw the girl sitting a ways out from the home, crossed legged on the ochre colored ground. The warm harvest breeze tossed her messy hair to the side as she stared up at the binary sunset against a brilliant sky; a stunning canvas of purple clouds streaked against burning reds and yellows. Luke watched her in silence for a moment, sympathy overtaking his curiosity.

Finally, he walked over and sat next to her, producing a couple small fruits from the sack. He offered them to her, and she silently accepted.

"Do you have any… magic, here, on Tatooine?" She asked, both of them still staring at the setting suns.

"I've heard legends and myths." Luke exhaled.

"But you only hear so much on a moisture farm." He grabbed a nearby rock, tossing it into the distance.

"So, no wizards." She sighed, resigned to the situation. Luke nodded in agreement, but considered her statement a bit more.

"Well…" he started, catching her attention.

"There is Old Ben. Uncle Owen always calls him a crazy old wizard. There're rumors about him, but I don't know how true they are." It was something, more than she had to go on five minutes ago.

"An old wizard? Living here?" A spark flickered in her eyes.

"Well, he lives out past the Dune Sea. As far as I know he's just a wild eyed old hermit, but-"

They were interrupted by a noise coming from back at the home. They turned to look, seeing the shiny C-3po, flailing his limited arms, catching the light of the sunset. The frantically waving droid caused a laugh to erupt from Hermione.

"What is he? A robot?" Despite everything, C-3po's awkward flailing was enough to pierce the mood for the moment.

"He's a protocol droid. Talks a lot." Luke smiled.

"He's just so…" she searched for the words.

"Pathetic", "Pathetic" They said in unison, causing another laugh to pass between the two as they nodded in agreement. She covered her mouth to stifle another fit as they both watched the hopping droid wave them down.

"Ah we better go see what he wants." Luke suggested as he stood up, dusting himself off. He offered Hermione a hand, she accepted. It became a handshake as she got to her feet.

"I'm Luke Skywalker. And, don't worry…" he let a dramatic pause linger.

"My pathetic droids and I will get you sorted out." He barely managed a straight face. She laughed again as they started back to the home.

* * *

"What do you mean he's gone?" Luke fumed.

"I'm so sorry sir, but he's a willful one. Kept going on and on about his 'mission', and of a previous owner, some General Kenobi." 3po pleaded. Luke rubbed his shoulder, deep in thought at the mention of 'Kenobi'.

"Kenobi?" Hermione asked.

"I think he means Old Ben. Obi Wan Kenobi…"

"Quite right, Master Luke. But, I don't know who he's talking about, our last master was Captain Antilles of-" Luke hushed the droid as it started to yammer.

"Your other robot, er, droid has gone to see the old Wizard?" A distinct hopefulness was easy to detect behind her words. Luke nodded.

"Yeah, it seems so. We might have to pay him a visit…"

"Tonight?" She asked, already on her feet.

"No, no way. There's Tusken Raiders out there. Sandpeople. They're incredibly dangerous; we don't stand a chance at night. We'll have to wait until-" As Luke reasoned Hermione produced her wand and spoke.

"Lumos maxima!" No sooner than the words left her mouth, the tip of her wand became a point of dazzling white light, illuminating what seemed like the whole of Luke's home.

"Luke?" a voice called out from elsewhere in the structure. The young moisture farm hand was stunned, without even the sense to look away.

"Luke, that blasted light- I'm shutting off the power." It called out again.

"Y-yeah, okay, Uncle Owen." Luke finally replied. Hermione lowered the wand, extinguishing the light. She smirked.

"Tonight." She insisted. Luke nodded in agreement.

"Oh my!" 3po exclaimed.


	4. Into the Jundland Wastes

"Han Solo, at your service." The rugged smuggler smirked at Harry, who nodded appreciatively in return.

"Harry Potter. Pleased to meet you." He gave a polite smile. Now shirtless and half-bandaged, he had his left arm raised over his head, as the immense Wookiee tended to him.

"Ow!" Harry exclaimed. _RUAAAGH!_ Chewbacca roared in reply, startling Harry. Han laughed.

"Chewie here is used to patching _me_ up, so he's learned not to tolerate any whining. Isn't that right, fuzzball?" Chewie nodded enthusiastically. _RRRrrr-nfnfnfnf_.

"Right…" Harry said, unamused, but still bewildered. Chewie stepped back, giving him a satisfied nod. Harry put his arm down, testing the wraps. Between those and the injections, he felt a world better than he had. He pulled his shirt down over his head, still cautious not to trigger any pain from his ribs.

"You look better kid. Where're you from?" Han asked, genuinely curious as to how anyone could still seem so shocked being inside a rusty old spacecraft like The Millennium Falcon. He had been ready to insist that it was an excellent ship, but was shocked when Harry was amazed with it anyways. Harry took a deep breath, pleased at the lack of any accompanying pain, and gestured at his surroundings.

"All this… I'm from a place without any of it." He stands up and looks around the room.

"We don't have spaceships in Great Britain. On my planet, sure we've been to space, but not much further than our own moon. I've seen things _you_ probably couldn't believe, but _this_ is all so foreign to me." Harry ran his hand over the paneling and the seat backs. He was in a _starship_.

"Listen, Kid… I've been all over the galaxy, and I ain't never seen a world with people that 'talk good' like you and I, who've also never seen a ship like this." Han's curiosity was well-masked by his skeptical tone. Chewie growled softly. Harry nodded, contemplating his response. He faced Han, a desperation weighing on his shoulders and solemnity on his face.

"Then imagine just how far from my home I really am." The concept bewildered Han for a moment before his practiced cynicism returned. Nevertheless, he wasn't about to patronize or debate this kid, there was a sense of maturity and responsibility about him that Han knew couldn't be faked. Wherever he was from, he'd probably seen a lot. _Too much, maybe_.

"Fair enough, Potter." Han casually replied.

"Why are we waiting here if the 'Empire' is around? You said you might know someone who can help me, shouldn't we get out as soon as possible?" Harry asked, all in one breath.

"They're probably watching for takeoffs. If I can wait them out, we can get out of here without a fuss, and without a fight. That's how I prefer to do things."

Harry nodded understandingly.

"Well, I'm going to run an engine check, make yourself at home." He gestured to the messy room with another insincere grin and ducked away into a corridor leading to the cockpit. Chewie stared at Potter with an abject sense of curiosity. Harry rubbed his arm, looking around, unsure what to do. chuckled nervously.

"I don't suppose you've got any games to pass the time around here?" In response, the massive wookie kicked a small, round, table nearby. The electronic apparatus hummed to life, like a holographic chess set, with monsters for pieces. Initially dazzled by the device, Harry quickly realized he had no particular fondness for outlandish chess games and backed away.

"No thanks, I'm not feeling a game of… alien… chess." He awkwardly sat down and twiddled his thumbs, as if he was in the waiting room of a dentist's office. Thoroughly amused, the Wookie chortled at Harry, _Rrghghgh!_

* * *

It didn't take the trio all that long to catch up to R2. Sneaky and crafty though it might be, the little droid couldn't outrun a landspeeder. Luke and Hermione had been discussing their plan, which basically boiled down to 'grab the pain-in-the-ass droid and keep going to Ben's, don't stop for anything until we're in front of his hut'. Luke was nervous as hell, and despite an admirable job of hiding it, Hermione could sense it.

In his own way, he reminded her of both Harry _and_ Ron. For the moment, that was something of a comfort, making her smile without even realizing it. Her eyes were trained on the sliver of azure that lined the horizon, crushed down by the dark nighttime sky. Was Harry also on Tatooine? Was Ron? Hermione tried hard to think of a spell that would help her find them, but she felt fried. All she could do was hope that the old wizard had answers.

They tried to keep as silent as possible, speeding through the hostile territory. Large rock formations and small mountains whipped by as Luke guided the speeder through the wastelands. Only the droids could see the smattering of Tuskan raiders already taking note of the travellers. R2 let out a low worried whistle.

* * *

The steady _thrum_ of the landspeeder had lulled Hermione to sleep. Volatile images of destruction and Death Eaters raged across her dreamscape. Through the chaos… a face was appearing, horrible and forbidden, peering through the heavy fog of battle. Hermione found her mind locked onto the hellish vision, unable to turn away. Even through shut eyes it was painfully clear… she heard screaming, louder, and louder, and only now- at the height of its terrible volume did she recognize it… as her own.

"VOLDEMORT!" She yelled, waking like a bolt of lightning, eyes wide with sudden anger and terror. Luke reached over and gently put his hand on her outstretched arm. After a moment she realized she was aiming her wand at an enemy no longer there. Luke slowly lowered her arm. Her eyes met his, finding an unspoken word of caution in his gaze.

"We're close, I think…" Luke gestured for her to stay put. He grabbed his hunting rifle and macrobinoculars from the back of the speeder. He nervously looked around before putting the device to his eyes, scanning the distance. After a moment, Hermione impatiently broke the silence.

"Luke! Do you see anything?"

"No… no, I don't think I've got the right ar-wait, I see a small building." He adjusted the controls on the macrobinoculars, putting the small building into focus. Hermione sat up straighter, eager for confirmation.

"It looks like a small hut; definitely not abandoned. It could definitely be his, I don't know…"

"You sure it's not a Tuskan's house?" She cautioned.

"Nah, Tuskan raiders tend to live in small tribal groups; more tents and lean-to's rather than huts and houses."

"That doesn't mean we're not being watched!" C-3po hissed, his electronic voice somehow managing to quiver. R2-D2 agreed with a series of urgent beeps.

"My macrobinoculars aren't picking up any of them too close to us. The nearest I saw were at least a good several hours out, especially since they were on foot." Luke clipped the device to his belt and hopped back in the landspeeder. It hummed to life at his input.

"We'll be the hut in a matter of minutes. Hang tight." He assured. Hermione nodded with a sense of relief.

* * *

The short ride to the foothills which the hut sat atop was, as promised, brief. Luke absentmindedly suggested 3po watch the speeder. The robot jerked in disbelief. Hermione stifled a chuckle. She reckoned the droid _always_ looked surprised with those perfectly round eyes, but the unflinching expression was so perfect. It _really_ did look aghast at Luke's suggestion. 3po didn't argue, surprisingly, but his permanent expression continued to 'fit' as the nervous droid looked around the dark and barren environment.

Luke's hunting rifle was already slung over his shoulder, and Hermione had her wand out; _ready for anything_ , she hoped. The narrow footpath to the hut was steep and ridiculously unforgiving. Hermione seemed to take to the hike easier than Luke, who was by far more comfortable in a cockpit or on a flat plain. _Give me heat, give me dust, but blast these stupid rocks_. Luke was making every effort not to complain aloud around the attractive young witch.

 _What's a "voll d'mort"?_ Luke thought. He almost asked, as they stopped to get their bearings, and drink some water, but decided to quell his curiosity until a more appropriate moment. Tatooine's three moons flooded the Jundland Wastes with their silvery glow. Luke noticed the way it highlighted Hermione's features as she stared up the path, at their destination. Luke was taken, he thought she looked stunning.

Hermione noticed Luke's dumbstruck expression. She pursed her lips and gestured for them to continue up the path. Luke quickly re-focused and proceeded. _Boys_ , she thought, _even on a planet with two suns and three moons, they're still the same_.

They reached top in short order, looking around, unsure of what to do right away. The property was relatively well kept and simple. The hut wasn't too big, but enough that Luke easily pictured an old mystic satisfied within its cozy confines. The path ended near the side of the hut, its entrance facing a spectacular view of the treacherous wastelands.

"Luke…" Hermione whispered. The dire sense of alarm in her tone was not lost on Luke; his rifle at the ready the instant he looked in her direction. She slowly gestured to the rock ridge behind the hut. Luke spotted the huddled figures immediately.

"Oh no…" He said, not bothering to whisper.

"What are they?!" she hissed, gripping her wand tighter.

"We're surrounded by Tuskan raiders… this is how they stage ambushes. They've probably been following us since we hit the Dune Sea." He cocked his rifle.

"Do we have a chance?" She asked as even more figures appeared around them. Luke traded a worried glance with her.

"How good are you with that stick?" Luke's question seemed almost rhetorical, reinforcing the hopelessness of their predicament. Despite that, it seemed to bolster Hermione's resolve. She smirked as the duo closed the distance between each other, now practically back to back. She held her wand at the ready, looking back over her shoulder at the anxious young farm hand.

"Very." The one word reply surged with confidence.


	5. Ambushed!

_WuuuUAAAaa au au au au arrr!_ The Tusken raiders wailed and howled horrible sounds that echoed throughout the area as they descended upon Harry and Hermione. Their sand color robes billowing as they darted, jumped, and lunged at the young duo.

"Expulso!" Hermione roared, her wand sending one of their attackers flying. Luke had no time for awe; he was trying not to land fatal shots with his hunting rifle. Luke knew he wasn't ready to be a killer, and besides, he had the skill to take out as many kneecaps as necessary. His sharpshooting skills were as legendary as possible where he was from.

Between Hermione's spells and the muzzle flash from Luke's rifle, the small property was continuously awash in harsh glows and sizzling lights. Luke heard word after alien word ring through the air as Hermione furiously repelled the raiders. His newfound friend was nothing short of a warrior, Luke thought as he continued firing. _Click. Click click._ The sound made Luke's stomach drop. _Empty! Damn!_

"Hermione! My rifle's empty!" He yelled, staring down a raider who had singled him out.

"Then it's not a _rifle_ anymore is it?!" She snapped mid curse-slinging. Luke flipped the rifle in his hands as the raider's spiked gaffi stick came dangerously close to its target. As long as the rifle was, it still made for an exceptional weapon in a melee scuffle. He spun it like a staff, only half as graceful. Luke made use of it as much as he could, sending at least three of their Tusken attackers tumbling down the steep climb.

Yet it seemed to be in vain as a pair of raiders co-ordinated to knock Luke off his feet. The rifle pried out of his hands. Hermione spun around, wand aimed at Luke's attacker.

"Confringo!" The air itself seemed to combust in the raider's face, setting him alight. The flames eagerly took to the dry Tusken garb, sending the wearer wailing, staggering towards the small nearby cliff. Luke watched, wide-eyed as the flaming Tusken plummeted down to his smoldering end. However, the singular victory had cost them their edge in this fight. A raider had seized Hermione from behind. She roared angrily as she tried to struggle free.

Luke scrambled to help, but found hands holding him back. _This can't be it_ , he thought, _dying at the hands of Tusken raiders outside the hut of a creepy old hermit, with a girl I only just met?_ Luke wondered if they were even at the right place, if Ben Kenobi' really did live here. He glanced around in a panic, unable to move given the two raiders holding him down. He saw Hermione forced to the ground as well.

"I'm sorry!" Luke managed to say, despite a foot in his back. Her gaze met Luke's as they traded last sentiments with only their eyes. The raiders collectively howled victorious. The howl persisted, and grew louder and louder still. Luke closed his eyes tight, expecting a gaffi stick to the back of the head any second… _any second_ …

Instead, he found his arms freed, and the foot removed from his back. What in the world? He looked over at Hermione, staggering to her feet, as bewildered as him. The howl persisted, only it was apparent now that it wasn't coming from the raiders anymore. Luke glanced back at them, jumpy and nervous, gaffi sticks ready for another fight.

"Luke, what's going on?" Hermione asked, struggling to be heard over the ear-piercing howl. Luke had no answer, even as the howl ceased, leaving an eerie silence in its wake. Luke and Hermione scrambled away from the Raiders, circling around to the front of the hut, trying to break line of sight with their attackers. After a minute of anxious silence, the raiders exchanged curious noises between themselves. They seemed to conclude that whatever was howling was now gone.

"Damn." Luke hissed.

"They're coming after us still." He backed away from the hut, peering over the rocks nearby. There was no plausible way out of this. Luke looked back at Hermione whose hands were empty, her wand gone. The raiders were approaching, still easily ten strong. In a protective gesture, Luke placed himself between Hermione and the encroaching Tuskens, the gesture distinctly reminded her of Harry. Her mind raced. _We need a way out! There's no port key, I've got no wand, we can't jump and survive… what now?_

A nighttime wind swept through the quaint property, the Tuskens' robes billowed, and the tarps and hides on the hut fluttered. The small curtain across the hut's entrance waved in the wind as well. A fresh silence pervaded the situation. The Tuskens were now more than halfway across the property.

 _FFWWvshhhh!_ The snap-hiss sound sizzled through the air as a blue glow emanated from the hut's entrance. An anxious confusion rippled through the Tusken raiding party. Luke was once again bewildered, watching the Tuskens slowly back away from the hut, spreading into a half circle, facing the blue glow. An old but confident voice spoke, cutting through the thick-as-fog tension…

"I don't remember inviting the whole of the Jundland Wastes to my front door…" A cloaked figure emerged from the hut, blazing blue lightsaber in hand. The man pulled back his hood, revealing an old and weathered face, sporting an assured smile. The confusion among the raiders became a palpable fear.

"…but I know _you_ remember _me_." The old man continued. Hermione and Luke were awestruck; dumb grins on their faces. Their rescuer leveled his lightsaber at the nearest Tusken. The searing hot energy blade now mere inches from the Raider's face wraps. The old man stared him down and after the longest moment of threatening silence, the Tusken slowly stepped back, gestured to the others and within seconds, they were fleeing in retreat down the footpath. Once sure they were gone, the old man deactivated his lightsaber. It retracted with a quick _ffFFvshhk_.

The silence was shattered by the excited whistling of R2-D2. _Wheeoooo!_ The small droid seemed like it would burst with joy.

"R2? Were you watching this whole time?!" Luke could barely believe the stout droid made it up the path. The droid seemed to criticize Luke as it wheeled towards the old man. _KKrrk kr kr krktt!_ Hermione spotted her wand, abandoned in the dirt where the raiders had taken off. She grabbed it and rejoined Luke as the old man gestured for them to enter his hut.

"I've been waiting for you." He said with a smile, doing little to mask the ominous tone in his voice.

"I've been waiting for you _both_." He clarified. Luke and Hermione exchanged a baffled glance as they ducked inside the old hermit's abode.

* * *

The inside of the hut was small, but only so much as it was cozy. The old man had a fire going already, and welcomingly gestured for both Luke and Hermione to sit. R2 watched impatiently from the entrance.

"I suppose you have some idea of who I am to come all this way and at night- through the Wastes no less." He offered a steaming cup of tea to both of his visitors. He shot them a concerned look as he prepared a third cup for himself. Hermione sipped it carefully. _Tea!_ The word raced to the forefront of her mind. _Real tea!_ It was a small comfort, but one she appreciated immensely.

"The Jundland Wastes are not to be traveled lightly." He waved the small droid in as he sat down.

"I'm sorry that we accidentally led a raiding party to your home." As he spoke, his own words described a situation that sounded fundamentally unreal to Luke. He felt like he was merely observer to this whole fiasco. The old man waved away the inference that there was anything to apologize for.

"Are you a wizard?" Hermione blurted; unable to keep the question back any longer. The old hermit leaned back in his seat, contemplating her question as his free hand found its way to his beard, absentmindedly scratching as he thought.

"I… have not been called a 'wizard' in an age or two, since well before either of you were born I imagine." A spark flickered behind Hermione's eyes.

"To some I probably was a wizard." He laughed. R2 interjected with a series of impatient beeps. The droid shuffled through to a clearing between the people. Suddenly, a projector flared to life on the small robot. A hologram materialized on the floor of the hut. It was a message recorded by a young woman in a white robe.

Luke, Hermione and the old wizard listened intently as the glowing holographic message spoke urgently of old wars, a debt of honor, and vital information against an evil empire. It continued…

"This is our most desperate hour. Help me, Obi Wan Kenobi… You're my only hope." The holographic woman disappeared and R2 straightened up. The whole room hung on the old man's reply. Hermione realized that her fate was now intertwined with the people in this hut. The 'Empire' sounded not unlike the Ministry of Magic under a leader like Voldemort. Maybe the fate of her friends was tied to the fate of the hologram woman?

"Obi Wan Kenobi…" the old man finally said.

"Now _that's_ a name I've not heard in a long time. A very long time."


	6. Old Friends

The old Jedi fed the curiosity of his visitors with an epic story of old friends, betrayal, and an ancient order of peacekeepers. He explained who he was, he told Luke about his father, and presented his lightsaber to him. Kenobi finally began explaining the force. Hermione listened like a student would heed their favorite professor, but her impatience grew as the old man seemed devoid of the answers she needed.

"I'm sorry; Mister Kenobi…" she interrupted, her frustration rearing its head as she stood up, ready to leave.

"But, I've come a long way, and-"

"A long way indeed." He cut her off in turn, yet somehow still sounding entirely warm and welcoming.

"Miss Granger, the force surrounds us. It's in us. Every one of us. It is the energy between all living things. It's the balance between light and dark, life and death, peace and chaos…" She slowly sat back down, trying hard to maintain her skepticism, yet listening to Obi Wan speak reminded her of listening to Dumbledore. The wisdom in their words and the experience behind their eyes commanded the same respect.

"When something does not belong, a Jedi can feel the disturbance in the force." A look of understanding started to cross her face.

"I knew the moment you and the others arrived because you do not belong here."

"Others?!" She bolted to her feet again.

"How many?!"

"As far as I've been able to tell, there were two others. And, if I may…" He gestured for her to sit again. _It has to be Harry and Ron! Right?_ Her mind was racing again, but she complied.

"I sense that all three of you are strong with the force. If I didn't know better, I would think I was sensing Jedi." He poked at the fire pit with a stick; the once respectable flames reduced to smoldering ashes.

"Can you tell where they are?" She urged.

"One of them is here, like you, on Tatooine. I would think we could discover more in Mos Eisley. If suddenly appearing young witches and wizards are sure to be talked about anywhere, it's there." Obi Wan looked at young Skywalker, who'd been listening- fascinated, the whole time. The unspoken understanding donned on Luke as Kenobi's stare implied a trip to the hostile city.

"What? No, no I can't go to Mos Eisley! I gotta take my droids to Anchorhead. I figured this trip would end here." He stood up, backing towards the exit.

"Luke, please!" Hermione pleaded urgently. Luke shook his head, overwhelmed, and ducked out of the hut. Hermione desperately looked to Kenobi. Once again, he gestured to remain calm. He pushed his sleeves up and made his way to the exit.

"Don't worry, Miss Granger, I'll talk to Luke. This has been more than anyone's ever asked of him." He nodded to her, an unspoken ' _I got this_ '. Obi Wan left the hut to see to Luke, leaving Hermione alone with R2. The short droid looked awkward, unsure what to do. Hermione's expression hardened. _No_ , she insisted to herself, _this is not the time to be weak. NO_.

She couldn't help but tally the events of past 24 hours she had been chased through the woods by catchers, stranded on an alien planet in a foreign galaxy, and attacked by "sand people".

The emotional dam started to crack.

She lowered her face into her hands, letting out a muffled yell, which slowly turned into a low sob. After a moment of uncertainty, the small droid hobbled over to her side, and gently leaned against her, offering a few comforting beeps. Instinctively, Hermione rubbed a sleeve across her face and placed an arm around R2.

"Thank you, Artoo." She said.

"You're not half bad."

* * *

Luke stood, overlooking the Dune Sea, gripping his father's lightsaber in his hands. He felt the conflict cut deep, as deep as any blade could manage. Obi Wan approached, finally standing next to him. They both stared up at the trio of moons, high in the nighttime sky.

"Luke, come with me. Learn the ways of the force and become a Jedi, like your father before you." Obi Wan turned his gaze to the young Skywalker.

"The Princess needs a Jedi. She needs you, Luke. They both do." Luke glances back at the hut's entrance.

"No, the Princess needs Obi Wan Kenobi; the great war hero. And, Hermione doesn't need a farm kid from Tatooine." Resignedly, Luke clipped the lightsaber to his belt.

"I'm too old for wars and princesses, Luke. You'd have me save the galaxy, alone? This path has been put before you. Help our stranded friend, Hermione. Help me save the Princess…" Kenobi gestured grandly towards the horizon.

"Or… don't. Tatooine will always need moisture farmers." He continued, patting Luke's shoulder and slowly returning to the hut.

* * *

"What did he say?" Hermione piped up. Obi Wan sighed, hanging his head. A brief moment later and Luke had reentered, standing taller than when he had left.

"Come morning I need to let my Aunt and Uncle know…" Luke let the pause hang as he mulled the words over.

"-that… I'm not going to be around for the next harvest." Hermione couldn't help but smile, relieved. Obi Wan nodded in agreement.

"After I stop by home in the morning to get some things, we can go to Mos Eisley or wherever you two need to go. I'm gonna sleep in the speeder." Hermione silently mouthed ' _thank you_ '. Luke flashed a warm smile in turn on his way out of the hut. Kenobi welcomed the young witch to make herself at home. She made due for the night on what she figured was a couch, while Luke settled into the landspeeder, staring up at the sky- feet on the dash.

"Sir, may I ask what has happened? What are we going to do?" The golden droid asked from the back seat. Luke gave the stars another long look and then closed his eyes.

"Threepio… we're going to sleep." Luke nodded off almost immediately, no doubt exhausted from the trekking and fighting.

"Oh… I see. Sleep well, Master Luke." 3po replied, switching off for the night.

* * *

The young farm hand stirred to the scent of smoked meat and spices. He opened his eyes, looking over his feet at Hermione, sitting cross legged on the hood of the speeder, plate in hand. She smiled at him, as she ate.

"Ben made us all breakfast." She handed Luke his own plate. There was certainly smoked meat, and although Luke wondered what it came from he couldn't deny it looked and smelled absolutely fantastic. The rest of the plate was full of pieced flat breads and fried eggs. Luke wondered if there was any relation between the meat and eggs.

Hermione hopped into the passenger seat as Luke sat up, already hungrily forking the breakfast into his mouth despite still looking half asleep. The glaringly bright morning suns weren't helping his disposition.

"Mm… su whu d Bn sf?" Luke tried to articulate despite a full mouth. Hermione rolled her eyes at the typical boy behavior, but bemused that she actually understood his question, thanks to being friends with Ron and Harry no doubt.

"Ben _said_ that he had to talk to a friend, and that I should ride with you back to your place." Hermione couldn't help the bit of sass in her reply. Luke looked mildly puzzled as he continued eating.

"B' wh ah m sshl?" His unintelligible ask drew a pursed-lips look from Hermione making him realize how silly he sounded. He immediately tried eating in a more mannered fashion, finishing his breakfast promptly.

"We're to meet him on the way to Mos Eisley after we're done at your place. R2 insisted on staying with him." Hermione and Luke looked up at the hut, seeing the old Jedi give them a wave. Luke nodded at him appreciatively and a short moment later, the trio was on their way back to Luke's home.

* * *

R2-D2 watched as the solemn old Jedi entered his hut.

"All this time and I still find myself faced with the unexpected." Kenobi said wearily to nobody apparent.

"Such is the life of a Jedi knight, my old padawan." The reply seemed to carry on the air. R2 buzzed in confusion and shock. Obi Wan merely nodded in agreement.

"I knew that one day I'd have to answer the questions of another young Skywalker… but I never expected his friend." Obi wan rubbed his face.

"This changes everything, you realize." The bodiless voice replied.

"Oh yes, yes. Don't think I'm not aware of the implications. I might be too old for the odd 'diplomatic mission' here and there, but I've not lost a step old friend."

Kenobi smiled at hearing his old master's voice again. It had been a long time indeed. R2 beeped concernedly at the old Jedi, inciting a hearty laugh.

"No, I haven't gone senile. At least not yet, I hope."

* * *

The Death Star was like any installation or facility the Empire built. The clean lines and modern aesthetics gave a sophisticated and antiseptic feeling to the base. The shiny black floors seemed to collaborate with the polished boot heels of officer and stormtrooper alike, producing a ceaseless symphony of clicking and tapping throughout the whole base. Almost each corridor was a bustling vein of activity unless it was in the lower levels, or unless Darth Vader was nearby.

A palpable fear preceded the black-clad tyrant wherever he went. One would fairly suppose that plants and grass would wither and die in anticipation of his presence. However Vader was satisfied with the shrinking composure and terrible respect he commanded as he journeyed through the clinical hallways of the Death Star.

He reached his destination as the door opened with a pneumatic hiss. The room was dimly lit, but massive, capable of serving only a few functions. Vader quickly kneeled atop a small platform in the room. The space in front of him immediately lit up with the familiar blue glow of a hologram. The massive holographic head hovering before the kneeling Sith glowered down at him from behind a shadowy hood.

"What of the three anomalies?" The vile face asked in the raspiest of voices.

"As I felt them, my Master, I bent the force to my will, causing one of them to appear here." Vader replied.

"You have one of them? Good… good." The Emperor knew there was more to Vader's report, but took pleasure in watching his underling struggle to deliver the bad news in the face of approval.

"Not exactly… my Master." Vader managed to kneel even lower.

"Pathetic..." The Emperor hissed. His words stung as intended.

"I suggest, _Lord Vader_ , that you capture the anomaly quick, lest he interfere with our plans." The disgust in his tone of voice was thorough and genuine.

"Yes, my Master."

"Your responsibilities are piling up, Vader. The location of the rebel base? The Princess? The stolen schematics? Now these… anomalies? If I did not have faith in you, my apprentice… I would believe that you are on the verge of terrible failure." A sinister smile crept across the holographic face.

The head disappeared, and the room was once again dark, and silent, apart from Vader's mechanical breathing. His resolute calm masked a fiery rage within. This anomaly… loose in the Death Star was not going to elude him much longer. Vader's cape billowed as he spun and left the room.

* * *

 _Bloody Hell_ , Ron thought to himself for the fiftieth time. He watched from a safe distance as the caped despot stormed out of the room. The fearful young wizard had obliviated no fewer than seven Stormtroopers and three officers since he arrived. The janitor's uniform he nicked was working out alright for now, but what he wouldn't give for Harry's cloak of invisibility!


	7. Heading Home

Between the two of them, there was a palpable excitement and a distinct hopefulness. Hermione was certain she was going to get to see either Ron or Harry at Mos Eisley. Maybe together they could figure out why apparating didn't seem possible here. Their speeder looked like a bullet, zipping across the barren landscape.

She looked over at Luke, noting his solemn boyish charm. Something she was sure even Luke didn't realize he had. Boys were often ignorant to what girls saw in them. Luke caught her gaze, cluelessly smiling in turn.

"So, tell me about your friends. They must be pretty great if they're anything like you." Luke asked, his curiosity still smoldered beneath the directives of their newfound mission. Hermione laughed both at Luke's compliment and at the ridiculous memories of Harry and Ron that came flooding in at their mention.

"Oh goodness. I've quite literally grown up with them. I can't imagine where I'd be without them. They can be completely dunderheaded idiots… but I love them. They've got a lot of courage and kindness. You'd like them, Luke." She found her gaze had wandered to the horizon, still stunned by seeing two suns in the sky.

At the absence of a reply, Hermione looked over at Luke, realizing his gaze was transfixed on something in the distance.

"What it is?" She asked; a pang of concern in her voice. Luke slowed the Speeder to a halt, and pointed to a billowing stack of smoke on the horizon. Hermione stood up in the speeder to look over the windshield. The young farm hand grabbed his macrobinoculars and aimed them at the source of the smoke. He stared through them for a moment before sinking back into his seat, an all-too-serious look of fierce contemplation on his face.

"It's the Jawa sand crawler that the droids came from." His thoughts raced. An attack by the sandpeople? How? Luke realized Hermione was still confused.

"Jawa are… well, they sell droids and stuff. My uncle and I bought Threepio and Artoo from them." Luke puzzled at the situation.

"And… your droids would be wanted by the Empire, yeah? Artoo had that secret message from the princess…" Her logical mind already fast at work, she was already thinking the conclusion that Luke was just now drawing. He paled as he realized the connection.

"This couldn't have been Sandpeople." He said, shaking his head, trying to draw a fresh conclusion in his head.

"Why not?" Hermione pressed.

"After attacking us last night, they didn't have the numbers or the time to pull off a siege like that. It had to have been imperial Stormtroopers."

"Storm-troopers… looking for your droids?" Her unfamiliarity with Luke's world didn't stop her from having the terrible situation figured out.

"Which means… they would've tracked them… _back home_." The sense of horrible urgency in Luke's voice was gutting. He immediately throttled the speeder forward at full speed, sending them rocketing towards their destination.

* * *

The rocky terrain breezed by as the speeder came ever closer to their destination. Finally Luke's home came into view… as well as an Imperial Troop transport. Even in the distance Luke could see the white clad troopers, blasters in hand, converging on his home. He clenched his jaw tighter.

The distance was closed in what seemed like a matter of seconds. The troopers took notice of the landspeeder barreling towards them. They yelled out and raised their blasters. Hermione flicked her wand at the nearest one.

"Expelliarmus!" The blaster flew out of the trooper's hands. The rest opened fire on the speeder, which did little damage before Luke floored the brake, spinning the vehicle directly into them. The impact sent the Stormtroopers crashing backwards. As the speeder came around, Luke hopped out, ready for a fight. He saw one of their blasters on the ground nearby and approached it. Hermione had already joined him, wand at the ready.

Luke contemplated the blaster, but his hand found its way to his father's lightsaber… now _his_ lightsaber. He pushed the switch on the handle, igniting the mesmerizing blue energy blade with a familiar snap-hiss. _ffvWWwkshhh!_ It sizzled and crackled as he waved it through the air. He glared past the blade at the other Stormtroopers heading for them.

"Luke? Run!" Luke recognized the voice coming from inside the house. _Aunt Beru_. Luke fumed.

"Halt! Freeze!" The troopers yelled. Luke and Hermione exchanged glances.

"Expulso!" The young witch flung the curse as Luke suddenly dashed towards their enemies, swinging the lightsaber. The troopers had no chance to fire, reeling from Hermione's relentless curses and Luke's attack. Hermione advanced, not letting up for a second.

"Confringo!" she yelled with another flick of her wand. The explosive curse put one trooper out of commission, his once white armor now charred and cracked as he scrambled back to the transport, desperately trying to pry it loose. Luke was still swinging his blade at the other few.

One lunged, aiming to grab Luke, but his hand only met the lightsaber as it sliced clean through his wrist. The stormtrooper fell to his knees, screaming, clutching his arm. The other two backed off, opting to fire on the young farm hand instead. Luke swung the blade recklessly at their barrage of blaster fire. He managed to reflect a bolt back at one of the troopers, hitting him squarely in the chest.

Luke aimed his lightsaber at the last stormtrooper who was now clearly uncertain of his chances in this fight. The young farm hand clenched his teeth as he closed in on his last enemy. The trooper fired his blaster, but the bolt bounced off of a semi-visible shield. Luke glanced back at Hermione, casting the shield. She cautioned him with a look. Luke looked at the trooper, now in a flat run for the transport. Luke deactivated his lightsaber and picked up a blaster, firing at the trooper before he could make the hovering ship.

Hermione winced, looking away as the trooper collapsed.

"Was that necessary?" She snapped at Luke, who met her gaze, shaken. _FWWOOOSH_. A sudden and overwhelming heat licked at their skin. They spun to see Luke's home ablaze, engulfed in flames. Helpless screams came from inside. Luke immediately dropped the blaster and bolted towards the inferno.

"LUKE, NO!" Hermione yelled. She raised her wand. _Do it_ , she thought, _just cast 'petrificus totalus' and you save this boy's life_ … However, before she could do anything, something exploded inside the structure. The shockwave of the explosion knocked Luke back, sending him flying through the air. He landed in a heap, unconscious. Hermione rushed to her friend's side, dropping to her knees next to him. She checked him over quickly, finding no serious wounds. Hermione felt a momentary twinge of relief, which slowly melted away as she felt compelled to look up.

A short distance away, from around the side of the flaming house, she watched as an armor-clad figure slowly walked into view. He didn't look anything like the Stormtroopers. Hermione felt a chill run down her spine as the figure turned to face her and Luke. His armor was darker; shades of green and brown. The T-shaped visor on his menacing helmet betrayed not a single emotion.

He stood callous and unflinching, staring at the two, while the house burned down next to them.

"Why did you kill them?" She yelled at the figure, anguished. He stayed quiet as he curiously sized her up. Hermione slowly rose to her feet, gripping her wand. She felt a sense of dread as if she somehow knew she was outmatched against this lone enemy. After a gut wrenchingly long silence between them, the imposing figure spoke.

"I don't leave loose ends." The gruff voice, cold and calculating, crackled through the comm circuits of his helmet. He sounded so completely detached, it was almost clinical. It lacked even the sinister enthusiasm Hermione had come to expect from Death Eaters.

This was a different brand of evil altogether…


	8. The Good, The Bad, and The Scoundrel

Despite the unbearable heat from the burning building, Hermione still felt a chill from Boba Fett's stare. Beads of sweat cut a path through the dirt clinging to her face. The smoke burned her lungs as it relentlessly billowed through the air.

As she quickly discovered, her foe was not keen on taking prisoners or sparing lives. Right now, he was staring down a couple loose ends. His hand slowly made its way down, headed for his blaster rifle. Hermione's grip on her wand tightened. Luke stirred, on the verge of regaining consciousness. The seconds ticked by as the witch and the bounty hunter seemed locked in a fatal standoff.

 _Think, Hermione!_ She raged to herself. _Reducto? Expulso?_ For the briefest of moments she even considered the unforgivable curses. _No! You're better than that, you're smarter than that. But… this is a duel you're not going to win by force._ She could tell that magic or not, she was outmatched for experience. _You need to end this fight_ _ **now**_ _!_

In a lightning-quick blur of motion, the two raised their weapons as the young witch's voice swiftly rang out.

"Petrificus totalus!" Suddenly, Boba Fett was frozen, his arms pulled tight to his sides. She stared at the bounty hunter, whose emotionless visor gave every appearance that he was staring back. Almost involuntarily, Hermione found herself sitting on the ground, exasperated. She gathered her wits. Luke was fully awake now, staring at the inferno raging in front of him. The dry Tatooine breeze stung his eyes as he watched, unblinking.

Hermione's heart broke for her new friend, but she knew the statue-like Boba Fett wouldn't stay that way for long. She helped Luke to his feet, guiding him by the arm.

"Luke… I'm so sorry, but we have to go." She tugged, on his hand, leading him back to the speeder.

"We have to go." She repeated, for her own sake as much as Luke's. Finally he resigned himself to the moment and activated the landspeeder. It hummed to life as Luke piloted them toward the horizon, making haste for Mos Eisley.

* * *

Han checked his blaster for the umpteenth time as he paced back and forth through the corridors of the Millennium Falcon. Harry felt useless and a little awkward. The anxiety in the ship was palpable.

"Are you sure there's no way around it?" Harry pleaded.

"The Empire is forcing mandatory searches on all ships that've been docked here for at least a day. If we try to skip town, we might get shot down before we're clear for a jump to lightspeed." Han explained, trying to think it through.

"Well, what are they looking for?" Harry asked.

"I dunno, kid. Contraband? Money? The Empire doesn't exactly tell me anything."

"And you're worried because… you've got contraband on board?"

"Let's just say my clientele base isn't thrilled when I drop my cargo at the first sign of Imperial troops." Han flashed a sardonic grin at Harry as he once again left the room. The young wizard leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. He sighed, feeling like he'd been inside the 'Falcon' for a small eternity. At least Han had food aboard.

Harry had been satisfied with the occasional ration pack of some kind, but was stunned when he watched Chewbacca eat 8 of them in one sitting. The pneumatic hiss of the boarding ramp being lowered echoed through the corridors. Harry and Chewie walked over to find Han crouched on the ramp, staring intently at the squad of Stormtroopers near the entrance to the hangar.

"Why are they just waiting there?" Harry asked, puzzled. Han rubbed his jaw absentmindedly, trying to answer that question for himself. Chewbacca roared, and shook his head.

"I know Chewie. They're either waiting for someone, or waiting on new orders." Han stood up, retreating into the ship.

"I'm not a fan of either option." His voice trailed away. Harry stayed on the ramp, watching the troopers. One of them glanced over at him for a moment. It gave Harry goosebumps. Suddenly, another trooper held a hand to his helmet's communicator and listening intently before urgently giving orders to the others. A portion of the squad broke off, making tracks away from the hangars. Harry watched, curiously, with the distinct feeling that something was uniquely amiss…

"Han!" Harry called out over his shoulder.

* * *

Luke slowed the speeder as they approached the outskirts of the city. Hermione was stunned at the sight of it already. _Spaceships_ … she thought, as she saw small crafts taking off and landing from various parts of the city. Luke reached back and turned 3po on. The protocol droid 'woke' with a start.

"Oh my. I feel like I've been off for far too long!" It exclaimed.

"You have." Luke replied flatly. The droid picked up on Luke's tone and looked at Hermione quizzically. She looked back, giving the slightest of 'not now' gestures. 3po gathered that it would be best for him to stay quiet for the time being.

As they got closer to the city, Luke spotted a familiar face. Old Ben was there with R2, waving them over. He had two Jawas at his feet, harassing him about something. The small droid was none too pleased with them. They seemed to be placated when Kenobi handed them what Hermione assumed was money. The two small figures hustled away, clearly pleased with themselves.

Luke brought the speeder to a halt next to the old Jedi. There was a momentary silence as Old Ben's eyes met Luke's.

"Your Uncle and Aunt were good people, Luke. I'm so sorry." Kenobi's condolences were genuine and heartfelt, almost as if he felt Luke's pain himself. R2 whistled out a forlorn beep. The young farm hand nodded appreciatively.

"Hey, how did you get here?" He asked. Obi Wan smiled to himself.

"I know a few Jawas who owed me a favor. They gave me a ride." He rubbed the back of his neck and looked over to the direction they had left towards.

"Although I'm not quite sure they understood the nature of a 'favor', the ride was not cheap…" Obi Wan pulled his hood up and helped R2 into the speeder and then climbed in as well. Luke brought the hovering vehicle around, heading back towards the city. The small droid beeped excitedly, recalling to its golden counterpart all the all wild events that it had missed out on.

"Goodness gracious! Sandpeople? I knew I heard something peculiar last night!"

As the buildings and pedestrians of the city surrounded them, Obi Wan slowly put a hand on Hermione's shoulder. She looked back at him as he leaned in closer.

"The other one like you, on Tatooine… is _here_ , in the city." He said in a hushed tone. Hermione's heart leapt.

"Can you find him?" She asked, trying to sound calm. The old Jedi stared past her, into the distance, deeper into the city.

"I should think I could narrow it down the further in we go." Kenobi leaned back in his seat, appreciating the seat of a normal speeder, and not a junk hauler like the Jawas had. The trio journeyed on, entirely unaware that an Imperial spy had already spotted their droids...

* * *

Han stood next to Harry on the ramp. He patted him on the shoulder.

"Think it's bait, Them leaving like that?" Harry asked. Han shook his head.

"Not a chance. There's a bigger fish somewhere in Mos Eisley." Han quickly ducked back into the Falcon.

"This might be our ticket out of here!" He yelled out. Harry wanted to feel glad at the possibility of escaping this dusty Hellhole, but the idea of leaving now pained him. He searched his thoughts furiously, _why?_ He felt his anxiety skyrocket, feeling like he was about to make a huge mistake. The more he focused on the feeling, his certainty grew. Finally he bolted back inside.

"Han, wait!" He called after his newfound ally.

"What is it Harry?" Han asked, not bothering to stop prepping the Falcon for takeoff.

"I think it's a mistake to leave right now. I can't explain it, but I just know it is." Harry insisted.

Still seated in the pilot chair, Han spun around in disbelief, looking nothing short of offended.

"Five minutes ago you couldn't wait to get outta here, now you wanna stay?!" He bolted out of his seat to flip another set of switches on a ceiling panel.

"CHEWIE, GET IN HERE!" Han shouted down a corridor as Harry bristled at his dismissiveness.

"Listen, please-"

"Sorry, kid. As long as those Stormtroopers are distracted, leaving this place seems like a better idea every second." Han continued his duties as Chewbacca joined him. Defeated, Harry retreated to the ramp, hoping to understand why he felt so torn.

* * *

"Shouldn't we be finding a transport off this rock?" Luke asked. Hermione could tell that the boyishness in his manner was almost entirely gone. Luke wasn't just some boy anymore. There was tragedy on his shoulders, the kind of grief she saw in Harry when Sirius died. She saw more of her close friend in Luke with each passing moment. The emotions pounded at her chest. _No_ , she thought. _This is something else…_

"It stands to reason that we should find Miss Granger's 'other' first. Mos Eisley is a wretched hive of scum and villainy, who knows what has happened to the poor soul?" The old Jedi's suggestion was logical, and if the hostile looking pedestrians were any indication, he was right about the scum and villainy part too.

 _We're so close_ … The revelation burned across Hermione's mind as the speeder lurched to a halt. _What now?!_ Luke had stopped the speeder at the outstretched hand of a Stormtrooper, accompanied by plenty of backup.

"These droids…" The trooper began.

"Where did you get them?" His voice flatly buzzed through his helmet's communicator.

"We've had them for so long I don't rightly remember." Kenobi replied, returning the Stormtrooper's intimidating stare.

"Uh huh. C'mon." The trooper flagged them out of the vehicle.

"Let's go. Out of the speeder." The old Jedi made a small gesture, a slight wave of the fingers at the trooper.

"You don't need us to get out of our speeder." Kenobi stated calmly. The trooper miraculously seemed to agree.

"No, don't bother getting out of your speeder." The trooper replied. Hermione's eyes went wide, Luke was stunned as well. They shot each other a glance.

"There's no need to question us further… these aren't the droids you're looking for." Old Ben continued.

"We've got no more questions for you, these aren't the droids we're looking for."

"Move along…" Kenobi finished.

"Move along, move along." The trooper insisted, waving them on.

Once out of earshot of the troopers, Hermione broke the silence.

"That was brilliant!" She exclaimed. Luke chimed in as well.

"Yeah, how did you do that?"

"Old Jedi mind trick; works especially well on the weak minded." He waved his fingers with a small amount of pride. Hermione's fascination suddenly waned, she felt something again. An overwhelming wave of emotion, pulling her…

"That way!" She shouted, pointing towards the docking bays. Before either Luke or Ben could react, Hermione hopped out of the speeder, and dashed through a nearby archway.

* * *

Harry felt as if his heart was going to collapse under the weight of this feeling. He considered leaving the Falcon, which under any sane context would've been unthinkable in his situation. _But still_ … The predicament played out over and over in his head. Harry felt like distrusting this feeling would be the end of him, yet he couldn't abandon his only ally in this strange world. Crushed and distraught he dusted himself off and was ready to duck back inside, leaving this world behind for good.

Before he could leave the ramp, a blur of movement caught his eye. Right there, behind the few Stormtroopers the group left behind, someone bolted into view. He rubbed his glasses and looked closer, it was… _a girl?!_ But, not just any girl, he squinted and his heart quickened. Disbelief racked his mind as the recognition finally clicked...

 ** _Hermione!_**


	9. Frantic

Boba Fett watched as the young woman dragged the farm hand to their landspeeder and rocketed away. His eyes were fixed on the vehicle as it shrank towards the horizon. He tried to move his arms, or a leg, but nothing would budge. It was a miracle he hadn't fallen over. He focused on each body part individually, testing each one, willing it to move if possible. Each finger, from left to right, each toe… no such luck.

The infamous bounty hunter kept at it, muscle by muscle, testing each one in his mind. Forcing movement where there was none. Each second became a small eternity as he was locked into place like stone. Finally… he felt the smallest muscle on his thigh twitch. Inching toward success, it took him no less than an hour to fully move his leg. Once that was free, the rest came easy as the curse wore off, bit by bit.

Suddenly the bounty hunter was completely mobile. He staggered toward the empty Troop transport; its original pilot struck dead by stray blaster fire. Boba Fett quickly climbed into the cockpit, shoving the corpse aside, and taking the controls himself. He was not an impulsive killer. Every action he took was considered and calculated. He was not quick to anger, but to be bested by a _child_ , leaving him frozen like a plastic shooting target…

'Rage' was plainly insufficient to describe the severity of his anger. Yet he harnessed it as a source of mental resolve. The fiery emotions burned white hot behind his calm and clinical manner. No matter what… this was still business.

"Boba Fett to Imperial occupying force; Mos Eisley unit, respond." He held a hand to his comm device on his helmet. The speaker crackled to life as a response came through.

"Mos Eisley unit receiving, Boba Fett. Go ahead."

"Suspects headed your way. Two young adult humans, one male and one female, accompanied by one protocol droid. Detain them until I arrive. Use any means necessary." Every word he spoke seemed like a threat, no matter who he was talking to.

"Understood, over." Boba Fett closed the channel and throttled the craft forward. It tore through the air with an unnatural howl, headed for Mos Eisley.

* * *

Even though the Troop transport could outrun even the fastest landspeeder in any system, Fett knew that the suspects were most likely already in the city. It only took a matter of minutes for him to arrive at the outskirts, even less time to land and disembark. He held his blaster rifle tight and at the ready, determined not to let that girl best him this time.

The bounty hunter took to the main street, carefully scanning the flow of pedestrians. He clenched his jaw as he spotted the landspeeder, stopped by Stormtroopers just up ahead. _Good_ , he thought. _I can finally put an end to this mess. Properly._ As he carefully moved up the street, heading for the speeder, the Stormtrooper inexplicably waved it along. His indescribable anger was now at a full boil. He bolted for the trooper, grabbing him by the armor's neckpiece.

"Why did you let them go?" His flat tone didn't betray an ounce of anger, but the Stormtrooper was confused and petrified all the same. Before Fett could get a response, a flash of movement caught his eye. The girl hopped out of the speeder was making a run for it. _Not this time_ , he seethed to himself. He recklessly tossed the trooper aside and leaped forward. His Z-6 Jetpack roared as it lifted him over the mess of startled passerbys, spitting flame and smoke behind him.

He knew he already caught the eye of the farm hand with the lightsaber and whoever else was in the speeder, but his first priority was the damned girl and her unnatural _stick_. He flew under the archway, zipping down the connected corridor, headed for the docking bays…

* * *

Time slowed to a halt as Hermione's eyes landed on Harry, standing on the ramp of the massive spaceship. She stopped dead in her tracks, despite every cell in her body urging her forward. It couldn't have been more than 30 yards from the hangar entrance to the Millennium Falcon's loading ramp, but to the homesick pair, it was simultaneously the closest and the farthest they had ever felt to each other.

A stunned but warm smile crossed Harry's face, unsure what to do. His feet did not want to leave the ramp, but he felt ecstatic, and compelled to rush to his friend. However, Hermione seemed locked in place by a similar error of heart and brain. The weight evaporated from his chest, replaced by the most chaotic mix of relief, confusion, and joy.

Hermione felt nothing short of the same emotional jumble. Without warning, blaster fire sizzled past her head. She ducked as the wall burst beside her, erupting into bits of flying rubble and furious clouds of dust. Her hands flew up to cover her head from the debris.

"HERMIONE!" Harry screamed; his stomach dropped, unsure if his friend was shot. The nearby Stormtroopers rushed into the situation, dividing their fire between Harry and Hermione. She scrambled into the hangar, as Boba Fett rocketed into view behind her. She flung curses over her shoulder as she tried to make it to Harry but the blaster fire was incessant from what seemed like all sides.

Harry desperately tried to rush forward, but found the Wookiee's hairy paws holding him back. He struggled to aid his friend. but only managed to cast a few small shields as Chewbacca wrestled desperately to drag Harry into the Falcon, to safety. Hermione dropped to her knees, her hands now on her ears as the massive ship roared to life in front of her.

In a flash, Lightsaber blazing, Luke bolted into the Hangar, suddenly drawing Boba Fett's attention. Without pausing, he flung his lightsaber at the Bounty Hunter who turned away in the nick of time to save his own life.

Unfortunately for him, the saber sliced through parts of his jetpack before lodging itself in a nearby wall. Obi Wan calmly strode into the chaos behind Luke, waving a hand at Boba Fett, force-shoving him clear of the firefight. He flicked his hand again, pulling Luke's lightsaber back to him. The young farm hand did not stop to question this impossible Jedi ability. He rushed to Hermione's side, as Obi Wan ignited his own lightsaber to manage the Stormtroopers.

Hermione desperately scrambled forward again as the Falcon left the ground, she watched as Harry was dragged inside the ship. She wanted to call out again, but couldn't conjure the words. Blaster fire sizzled and lightsabers hummed around her, but she remained still. Luke and Old Ben were now shoulder to shoulder, trying their best to shield Hermione from the ongoing assault. The two impromptu warriors traded a knowing glance.

This was not a skirmish with sandpeople. The Empire's presence in Mos Eisley was too sizeable for a two man force to prevail against, especially given the lack of Luke's combat experience. Hermione was numb; devastated, as all she could do was to watch as one of her closest friends disappeared into the sky aboard a spaceship. How could she find him now? It took everything to reach him on this alien world, how she could even fathom _another_? Her mind was no longer racing and soon slowed to a halt.

This was it for her. This is where her hope ran out.

Luke and Obi Wan deactivated their lightsabers in surrender as a fresh wave of imperial Stormtroopers rushed into the hangar, blasters trained on the trio. Boba Fett staggered to his feet, angrily shrugging his broken jetpack aside. He watched as Stormtroopers fastened restraints onto the two men. The bounty hunter made a gesture and halted the two troops ready to cuff Hermione.

He walked over to the young witch, still on her knees, blankly devastated. As the Falcon disappeared from view her stare fell to the ground. Boba Fett let his shadow fall over her as he stood tall. She didn't look up. Finally he crouched to face her. After a long pause, savoring his victory, he carefully raised her chin. Her eyes stared into his menacing visor.

"I don't leave… **loose ends**." His flat tone of voice sounded more chilling than ever. He stood up straight and motioned for the troops to take her.

"Put her with the others, and don't damage them." The bounty hunter grabbed his broken jetpack and followed the squad of Stormtroopers out of the hangar. Boba Fett was so satisfied with his capture, he was barely bothered by the fact Han Solo got away. It would've been nice to bag an extra fee while on Tatooine. Yet he was almost certain his new captives would fetch him a hefty bonus from Darth Vader. _At least_ , he thought to himself, _there are no loose ends. For now._


	10. Spacebound

"You have to go back!" Harry screamed as he scrambled for the ramp controls again. Chewbacca pulled the young wizard away again. Han shouted from the cockpit.

"We can't!" Han knew they wouldn't be safe until they were out of the system altogether. He was already setting up a jump to lightspeed. Harry wormed his way out of Chewbacca's arms, pulling his wand on the Wookiee. _ARRRRrrhrh!_ He wasn't fazed in the slightest by Chewie's bellowing roar.

"Locomotor mortis!" Harry flicked the wand at Chewbacca, whose legs immediately froze, now stuck together. Confused, and frustrated, the Wookiee hobbled to the nearby bench, and sat in a huff. Harry bolted for the cockpit only to find himself colliding into Han without warning. Han managed a sleight of hand, separating the wand from its owner.

"Give it back!" Harry protested.

"Give me my co-pilot back." Han bargained, gesturing to the annoyed Chewbacca. Harry glanced over, and in reluctant agreement stuck his hand out for the wand. Han handed it back, knowing Harry wasn't going to give up so easily. As he expected, the young wizard now aimed the wand at him. Chewbacca huffed again, still angrily trying to move his legs.

"Kid… I get it. You think I wouldn't want to go back if it was Chewie?" Han inched forward, letting the wand poke his chest.

"I'm warning you!" Harry said, unsure what exactly he planned to do.

"Listen, if the Empire wanted your friends dead, they could've dropped a bomb on the place; taken us all out. But, Chewie saw Boba Fett there-"

"What's a Boba Fett?" Harry interrupted, trying to buy time for him to think.

"A bounty hunter. If he was there, that means the Empire wants your buddies alive." Han explained calmly.

"Then we go get them! Now!" The young wizard insisted again. Han slowly raised a hand, and carefully brought it down, moving Harry's hand away.

"I like you Potter. You remind me of myself. Scrappy, a bit reckless, but loyal to his friends." The scruffy smuggler put his hands on his hips, staring down at Harry.

"Your friends are probably on an Imperial star destroyer by now. There's going to be thousands of Stormtroopers. Your plan is simply to 'go back and get them'. If we do that…" Han's tone was the most honest and serious Harry had ever heard up to now.

"We'll get ourselves killed before we even see your friends." Han stepped back as the young wizard looked especially defeated.

"So what do I do?" Harry insisted. Han rubbed his chin, as he did whenever he was deep in thought.

"I say we stick with our original plan. You've hired me to help you out. For the fee of a small fortune- as promised, I'll find you a way to get your friends back. I'm gonna take you to see someone who knows… well, everything. She'll know what to do." Harry felt a slight tinge of relief and hopefulness at finally having a plan.

He realized he was putting his life in the hands of a stranger from another galaxy, quite literally, but between the promise of money and the fact Han hadn't shot him yet, Harry was inclined to believe the man spoke genuinely.

After a moment, feeling that the tension in the room had sufficiently abated, Han sized Harry up and looked deep in thought for a moment.

"Chewie, get him some clothes." Han said, getting an annoyed roar in response from the Wookiee. The smuggler rubbed his face, exasperated as walked towards the cockpit corridor. He shot Harry a look over his shoulder, pointing again towards Chewbacca.

"Fix him!" Harry looked puzzled and suddenly a bit insecure.

"What's wrong with my clothes?" He yelled after Han.

"You stick out, kid. Sooner or later, looking like that, you're gonna get _shot_!" The smuggler yelled in return, already back in the cockpit.

* * *

Despite the trip having lasted a few hours at least, Luke had been wrestling with his restraints the whole time. Hermione seemed tense, but resigned to the situation. Her wand and the lightsabers were clipped safely onto the nearest Stormtrooper's belt. R2 and 3po were tucked away in the cargo hold with all the belongings taken from the speeder. The Imperial shuttle they were on wasn't the biggest ship, but it could haul plenty of troops, officers, or in this case, even prisoners.

Luke couldn't understand why Obi Wan was silent, almost meditating, and Hermione had effectively given up for the moment. He peered past Hermione. The Stormtroopers who'd been guarding them were now distracted, talking to the pilot. Luke's attention snapped Kenobi.

"Ben!" Luke quietly hissed, stirring the old Jedi.

"Can't you do one of your tricks and bust us out of these?" He held up his hands, showing off the cuffs. Ben listened patiently.

"We could knock out the Stormtroopers, grab our weapons and take the ship. Then we could fly to Alderaan like you wanted!" He desperately laid out his plan, hoping for approval from the old Jedi. Instead his plea was met with contemplative silence as Kenobi looked past both Luke and Hermione, staring off into space.

"We could do that." Luke readied himself to spring into action.

"But…" The old Jedi continued.

"The closer we seem to get to our destination; I sense we also grow closer to the other one like Miss Granger." Kenobi explained calmly. Hermione slowly looked over at him, unsure what to think. _What does this mean? Was Ron captured as well?_ Kenobi lifted his hands, presenting the cuffs to both Luke and Hermione.

"These are nothing. I could free us now, or… I could free us after we discover exactly who is waiting for us on _that_." The old Jedi gestured towards the cockpit. Each of them could see between the pilots, past the talkative Stormtroopers, and out the main viewport, into space. Centered in the view, still a ways off, was a small moon.

"We're headed for that small moon?" Hermione asked, her curiosity now overtaking her hopelessness.

"That's no moon… that's a space station." Kenobi said trepidation in his voice. Luke looked stunned.

"That can't be, that's much too big to be a space station!" Hermione bristled at the pointless distinctions.

" _Whatever it is_ , that's where we're headed. I'm _going_ to find out if my friend is there, and if he is, we're _going_ to help him get out. I don't care if it's a moon, a space station, or _a bloody Quaffle!_ " She fumed, the hopelessness now gone entirely, she wasn't going to let Ron slip away. Then maybe, just maybe, together- they could find Harry. _With starships like these_ , she thought to herself, _the galaxy seems just a little bit smaller_.

Luke and Old Ben could already tell that disagreeing with the young witch wasn't the brightest idea. They silently agreed, despite not having the faintest idea of what a "Quaffle" was. The trio quietly readied themselves for whatever laid in wait on that Death Star.

* * *

Ron wondered how many times he could clean the communications hub before anyone would find it peculiar and tell him to move along. Most of the Stormtroopers never even gave him a second glance; some were even outright brusque with him if he got in their way while cleaning. Thoroughly miffed, Ron was ready to teach the next rude _buckethead_ a proper lesson about the fundamental necessity of a janitorial department in _any_ respectable establishment.

Thankfully, before that could happen, he quickly remembered he wasn't _actually_ a janitor there; he was in disguise- a fact he had to keep telling himself. In a stroke of self-declared brilliance, Ron had 'stationed' himself in the comms hub, eavesdropping on incoming transmissions. So far he'd gathered that, _yes_ , he was actually in space, the station he was on is known as "The Death Star", and that guy in black, "Vader", scared even the officers.

However, most recently, Ron discovered that a shuttle with prisoners aboard was inbound. He felt like this was a significant development, although he wasn't quite sure what to do with it. _Any enemy of these tossers_ … he reasoned to himself- _might be able to help me escape this place?_ The transmission crackled through the comms, prompting an acknowledgement by the stationed Stormtrooper. By the time their exchange was over, Ron knew the prisoners would be processed and taken to 'detention block AA-23'. _This is progress!_ He thought to himself. Now all he had to do… was _find_ detention block AA-23. _Damn_.


	11. In Limbo

"Do not allow that ship to dock." Vader insisted with grave authority to a nearby officer. The Imperial Shuttle remained outside the Death Star as the black-clad tyrant peered at it menacingly from behind the lenses of his steely helmet. His labored breathed filtered through his helmet's respirator with a terrible _hiss_ that had become both iconic and unnerving.

Otherwise, the room remained in silence as Vader simply stared out the viewport at the shuttle.

"I can feel them…" He said to nobody in particular. The officer swallowed hard, contemplating whether or not he should reply.

"M-my Lord?" He somehow managed.

"They're like magnets... and we're in the middle. One of them is on that ship, and one of them is here, on this station! FIND HIM!" Vader spun on his heel, his cape billowing as he left the room. The officer tugged as his collar, both relieved Lord Vader was gone, and terrified at the prospect of failing his given task.

* * *

Despite her fiery resolve, Luke could see that Hermione was still weary. She looked a million light-years away and sad on some fundamental level. There was something about her manner that Luke related to now. He tried to think about anything else, but the screams of his Aunt and Uncle echoed in his mind, unwanted and distant. Like an open flame, the horrible memory licked at his waking thoughts.

"Have you ever lost someone you cared about?" Luke asked, staring at his feet. Hermione looked away from the viewport for the first time in hours, now facing the young farmhand. She wondered what would've become of Luke if she hadn't showed up in his life. _Would he be alive right now? Would his family?_ She felt his pain either way.

"Yes. I've lost some people close to me. Some closer than others." Her thoughts drifted to familiar faces, now gone. She paused for a moment, recalling her parents; erasing all trace of herself from their lives and memories. _This war has taken its fair share and then some,_ the young witch thought.

"Some more lost than others… but it hurts all the same." She leaned against Luke, wishing she could put an arm around him. She recognized the inconsolable melancholy from Harry, although her good friend somehow kept it at arm's-length. Harry's past always managed to seem like bad weather on the horizon, but Luke was in the thick of a storm; his tragedy was recent and visceral.

"I cared about my Aunt and Uncle, but… it's not even what hurts the most. I feel like this might always happen. My mother and father died when I was young, now Owen and Beru? Who's gonna be next?" Luke's words weighed heavy, but he spoke calmly. Hermione wished there was more she could do for him. Yet, stuck in the shuttle, waiting to dock, all she could do was lean her head on his shoulder.

The small measure of comfort between the two friends carried unspoken meaning that neither could properly articulate. Luke had always felt like he was isolated from family and friends, on a planet alone, always gazing up at a star-laden destiny that was forever going to be out of reach. But now? That small planet had a population of two, and those distant stars suddenly seemed a whole lot closer.

* * *

The Millennium Falcon roared across the skies of the planet Takodana as Harry peered out the cockpit's viewport at the familiar blue sight. Between that and the lush green flora below, it reminded the young Wizard of Earth- of _home_. Han piloted the ship lower, zipping over the lake towards a structure in the distance. Harry couldn't help but recall the train ride to Hogwarts. What he wouldn't give to be on the Express right now, with Hermione and Ron.

He sat back, sinking into his seat, trying not to dwell on his current situation.

"Welcome to Takodana, Kid. Depending on which way you're flying it's either a bold frontier or the last gasp of civilization." Han seemed at ease as he landed the Falcon in a forest clearing, a short walk away from the ancient-looking structure.

"Who exactly are we meeting here?" Harry asked as he followed Han to the ramp, impatient and equally nervous.

"She's the pirate queen of the middle-rim." Han said as he grabbed a crate off of a bench, handing it to Chewbacca, and then grabbing another one for himself. Harry stood, watching them, trying to process that bit of information.

"A… pirate. We've gone to see a _pirate?_ " Han smirked at Harry's incredulous tone, Chewbacca chortled, clearly amused. _Arrnfnfnfnf_.

"A pirate _queen_. And, yes. Keep an open mind." Han lowered the ramp, stepping out with his Wookiee co-pilot close behind. Harry rubbed his forehead feeling particularly overwhelmed and frustrated.

"A pirate… a bloody pirate." he whispered to himself as he started to follow Han and Chewie out of the ship.

* * *

Harry felt very at home with grass under his shoes and a blue sky overhead. Only the looming alien structure, now towering over them, reminded him that he wasn't back on Earth. The trio approached the building, but it was only Harry looking up at it in awe. Han and Chewie were clearly very familiar with the place.

"Harry, meet Maz Kanata: the beautiful and generous pirate queen." Han gestured to a diminutive, yellow-skinned alien, sitting in a folding chair, with a shade of some foreign design keeping the sunlight off of her. She sipped her drink and smiled. Harry tore his gaze from the building's height to look at Maz.

"Han Solo, your flattery is as cheap and insincere as your smile." Her voice resonated with an even balance of aged wisdom, and unfiltered sass. As if on cue, Han flashed his smile at her. Harry was only half surprised, fully expecting an alien, but not one so small. _This is the pirate queen?_ He asked himself. If she'd had large pointy ears, he might've mistaken her for a house elf.

"That's why I've only got eyes for this guy." She winked at Chewbacca from behind the bottle-thick lenses over her eyes. The Wookiee ran his hands over his head, brushing his hair back smugly.

"P-pleased to meet you, your… highness." Harry wasn't sure how to address her, but queens were royalty, right? Maz let out a burst of laughter, one that seemed several sizes too big to be coming from someone so small.

"Oh I like this one, Han. He's got time."

"Time for what?" Harry chimed in.

"Time before you end up like this one!" She laughed again, pointing a bony finger at the unamused smuggler.

"Say, Maz, how come you're not inside?" Han asked, curiously noting her comfortable setup.

"Some damn fools decided to settle a two hundred year old grudge inside, at the bar. It got... messy." She scoffed.

"They killed each other…?" Harry looked towards the entrance, his imagination running wild. Maz smiled knowingly. Chewie snorted, amused again at the young wizard.

"Not quite, Harry…" Han interjected.

"I do not tolerate troublemakers here, at my castle. If you have an issue with someone, you take it outside. Otherwise… _boom!_ " She mimicked an explosion with her hands, letting the ominous statement hang in the air. Harry looked deeply concerned, which only seemed to amuse Maz even more. She flashed a wide smile at him.

Han and Chewie set the crates down in front of Maz.

"Look, I managed to get my hands on a couple things of Corellian Reserve. I know how much you like the stuff." Maz happily inspected the crates, quickly producing a bottle of the alien brandy. Pleased but suspicious, she shot Han a glance.

"And, just what is it you expect from me in return, Solo?" A somber silence lingered between the four of them as Han looked toward Harry, leading Maz's gaze to him as well. Harry slowly kneeled down, reaching her eye-level.

"I need your help. I don't belong here…" He started to explain. Maz carefully set the bottle down, paying closer attention to the young wizard, her curiosity ignited.

"Yes, I can see that now…" She carefully stepped closer, slowly running a hand over his jacket- part of the outfit Han insisted he wear.

"You're from somewhere so far away…" She closed her eyes as she spoke, her voice seemed to echo his deep trepidation. Her hands studying his face now.

"And you're lost; separated from your friends… from your family, and even… your parents?" She opened her eyes wide as her fingers slowly brushed aside his messy hair. Her stare discovered the scar on his forehead.

"Oh yes…" She said, almost at a whisper. Han and Chewie traded a concerned glance.

"You _do_ need my help."


End file.
